Niemidaland
Niemidaland is currently the easternmost colony of the Salterri Imperium. Geography The region comprises a stretch of coastline between the mountains and the sea to the west, and a huge inlet to the south, extending from an estuary further to the east. To the south and west are the Yu Lakes, a series of lagoons, the westmost of which is sufficiently open to form an excellent natural harbour. In the hills to the north there are the ruins of a large settlement near an abandoned mine, which the people call the City of the Dead. The ruins have been abandoned for centuries, and although they appear to have been quarried by the locals at some point, are now avoided. The Great Flats are an expanse of mud in the east of the region left exposed at low tide in the inlet. Those who can traverse the mud report it is a wonderful place to look for shellfish and lungfish which have adapted to survive out of the water. However the mud is treacherous, and unwary folk venturing onto it can easily find themselves trapped and drowned when the tide comes in. People The people call themselves the Shinan. They are copper-skinned, broad-shouldered humans with strong, well-defined features. Their hair tends to be dark, though fair and red hair is not unknown. Men wear their hair short and go clean-shaven, although they are capable of growing full, thick beards if they do not shave. Women wear their hair very long, and seem only to cut it for the sake of maintaining its condition. As a result, elaborate hairstyles have developed to keep the long hair out of the way when it would otherwise be impractical. The Shinan are expert fish-keepers, and most of the coast and lowlands is given over either to growing crops or spices, or to tending fish. Every village and large house has several fish pools full of attractive and brightly-coloured fish, and the size and diversity of a collection is a point of pride among both communities and wealthy individuals. The people live mostly in walled villages with only a couple of small towns. They are suspicious of outsiders, after a long history of being raided and enslaved by foreigners, and while not particularly warlike they maintain militias and weapons-training so that they can defend themselves if attacked. Their soldiers tend to wear hide and leather armour, although many of them carry greatswords bearing a striking resemblance to Kasumori weapons. Government and History There are no large towns in the region, although ruins suggest there once were. The Shinan claim that once they were part of a great empire located to the east, but they were long since abandoned and left to their own devices. They used to have territories stretching much further north along the coast, but these settlements were raided and enslaved by invaders from the north, and those people who did not flee south are presumed lost. The people retreated inland or into small walled communities that could be defended more easily. In 407 the Qzare of the Salterri Imperium requested that Jarrland send an exploratory fleet to the east, so that the Imperium might establish a colony there. The land was formally discovered in 411 by Princess Ambryn, the king's daughter, who eventually named it Niemidaland, meaning roughly “eastern cape” in the Jarrland understanding of Old Elvish. Other names are still occasionally used informally, such as “Ambria”, “New Jarrland” and “Shinia”. It had actually been discovered and visited by Marius Earthguard some years before 411, as he revealed following his arrest in 415, and his time there seems to have had a minor influence on the population. Before the arrival of the Jarrs, there was little central organisation in the region at a higher level than the villages, although in times of great need the village elders would sometimes convene to discuss matters affecting all the Shinan people. Such a meeting was called upon the arrival of the Jarrs, the first such in sixty years, and eventually it was agreed to allow Jarr and Venn immigrants to settle along the coast. Seven years later another such meeting was convened and the elders agreed to become subject to the Jarrow king, and, ultimately, the Salterri Imperium. Many of the elders became enthusiastic about becoming part of a great empire once more, and some even claim it is the same empire. In 420 King Athelmere appointed his cousin by marriage, Martin Grant-Tremblor, as governor of Niemidaland, and it became a vassal of the Salterri Imperium. Resources The extensive coastline and wide river estuary means that the area is well-provisioned with a wide variety of fish. The people have long since cultivated and bred the fish, and while many of the fish are indeed eaten, many are also kept for aesthetic purposes. The region is also well-provisioned with spices. Although there are the remnants of mines in the hills, the people do not use them, and crave precious metals for use in jewellery and coinage. Religion The people keep to their native paganism, which holds water spirits in particular reverence. A very small number of people appear to have adopted Ashmarism.Marius Earthguard my bear responsibility for this. References http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17977850&postcount=34 Category:Regions Category:Capital Regions Category:Regions in the Salterri Imperium Category:Regions of Telluris Category:Capital Regions of Telluris